How healthy is olive oil?

This star of the Mediterranean diet is packed with nutritional benefits

- Alexandra Pattillo

Creamy cauliflower soup with rosemary olive oil. Infusing olive oil with fresh rosemary enriches this vegan cauliflower soup. Food styled by Monica Pierini. (Linda Xiao/The New York Times) House dressing. This mustard-shallot vinaigrette, rich and fruity with olive oil, gets its smooth balance from the addition of warm water. Food styled by Spencer Richards. (Rachel Vanni/The New York Times)

(Linda Xiao/The New York Times Rachel Vanni/The New York Times)

Many of the healthiest communities worldwide have something in common — diets rich in olive oil.

The ingredient, especially the extra-virgin variety, is full of fatty acids and health-promoting plant compounds called polyphenols that make it a potent anti-inflammatory with long-term benefits. Studies suggest that consuming olive oil may help lower your risk of heart disease, neurodegenerative disease and even premature death, especially when it's eaten as part of a Mediterranean diet.

Olive oil is one of the "key drivers" of the diet's health benefits, said Catherine Itsiopoulos, a nutrition researcher at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, who studies olive oil. It is the "healthiest type of fat" to use in your diet, she added.

Of all the plant-based oils, olive oil has among the highest concentrations of monounsaturated fats and polyphenols. These compounds, particularly one called oleic acid, work to balance cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure and keep the heart healthier over time.